Kaduna: President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has disclosed that Kaduna State is leading the way as the first to launch the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) in Nigeria. Speaking during a courtesy call at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Adesina praised Gov. Uba Sani’s commitment to agricultural transformation.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the AfDB President cited the state’s remarkable budgetary increase for agriculture, from N1.4 billion to N74 billion, as an example of political will backed by substantial investment. “You didn’t just put your money where your mouth is-you put your money where your mind and your body are,” Adesina remarked, drawing applause from stakeholders and dignitaries present. He highlighted that Kaduna’s leadership on this project reflects not just a vision for food security, but a roadmap for economic prosperity and inclusive development.
Adesina further described Kaduna as a trailblazer, stating, “you are the first state to launch the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone in Nigeria. This is a great day for us all.” He also commended the state’s hospitality, adding, “not only did we get hospitality here in Kaduna, I think we got maternity too-because your Deputy Governor is a medical doctor.”
Emphasising the AfDB’s commitment, Adesina pledged support for expanding the school feeding programme and integrating it with the new processing zones. He also promised additional assistance for primary health care improvements, health insurance, and infrastructure, including water, sanitation, and digitalisation. “We’re proud to partner with a government that listens, that leads with compassion, and that is open to all,” he added.
In his remarks, Gov. Uba Sani described Adesina as a blessing to Nigeria, Africa, and humanity, applauding the AfDB president’s transformative work in agriculture across the continent. Sani highlighted that his initiative as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture benefited more than 15 million smallholder farmers through his E-wallet initiative. He noted that this initiative aimed not only to transform agriculture but also to address financial exclusion and insecurity challenges in Northern Nigeria.
According to Sani, agriculture contributes about 42 per cent of Kaduna’s GDP and accounts for about 60 per cent of employment, emphasizing that insecurity has hindered potential agricultural development. “Because we believe it is one of the most important sectors to invest in, part of what we did was to increase the agricultural budget from N1.4 billion, which we inherited in 2023, to N74 billion in the current budget,” he said, noting that Kaduna became the first sub-national government to achieve the 10 per cent target of the 2014 Malabo Declaration by doing so.
The governor described the launch of the zone as a very important project for the state.
